Navigating the World of Sunday School and Small Groups

Tuesday Teaching Tip: Place People in Circles Instead of Rows

Today’s teaching tip could revolutionize your Bible study group – really. If your group meets on a church campus, chances are your classroom is arranged in rows. A room arranged in rows can discourage people from making comments and fully participating in discussion. People are more apt to engage in vigorous dialog when they can see one another’s faces. That’s why a room arranged in a circle actually boosts conversation and discussion.

Here’s a hybrid solution in case your group is just too accustomed to meeting and learning in rows: keep the room arranged in rows, but at one point during your Bible study, ask group members to form circles of 5 to 6 people and assign them a question to discuss. People will speak up in ways they never would if they were in rows. Being face-to-face will boost discussion.

Instead of looking at the back of someone’s head, try helping people see one another’s faces. Use circles to boost discussion – and revolutionize your Bible study. Here are two short excepts from books whose authors know the importance of creating conversations in Bible study groups:

“…depth in learning is often directly related to how much people interacton a personal level as they discover, wrestle, and apply principles from the text to their lives” (Heart Deep Teaching, p.127)

“A small group or class Bible study should be a ‘groupalogue’…Your effectiveness goes up incredibly as does learning when everyone is talking…” (Transformational Groups, p.24)